Chapter 1: The Ocean Rose
The Ocean Rose is the first chapter of Captain Listrata's Campaign. It was long ago, in the years before the war. My father sent me away to distant Dalmiria to study at the university in Jethes. My classmates were the children of Vizirs, Imams and Amirs. I was an Ausonian noble by birth, but to them I was just another foreigner. Fight 1 Opponent Regent Ashkar: Each turn: +1 Dialogues S''tart:'' Ashkar: Now we learn the ways of war. Listrata: Can't we read from the Diwan-e Kabir? A: Listrata! Focus please. Game: A''': Quickly, who is the Viceroy of Illiberti? L: Al-Tartushi? A: Incorrect! '''A: A man who seeks the weaknesses and shortcomings of others is a fly. A: He circles your ears until he can settle on your carcass and glut himself on the vilest parts. A''': A ruler who takes the lives and property of his subjects is a lion. A: He sleeps in the meadow of his prey until roused to bloodshed by hunger or jealousy. '''A: One who is outwardly pious but always scheming to enrich himself is a wolf. A: He prays on his knees, but when his prey is near he falls upon it speedily and renders it to shreds. (Sometimes upon Mercenary buy/play) A: Mercenaries are skilled in war but only loyal to their purse. (Sometimes upon Militia buy/play) A: The footman is the core of your army, but a farmer in times of peace. A: His armour, padded leather or cotton, reinforced with steel. A: His weapons, modified farm tools. By what name is this weapon known? L: The bill-guisarme! A: Correct! Defeat: A: Your form is sloppy. Again! Victory: A: Excellent form. Grandmaster Notes This deck is a -based military one, focusing on attacks, intercepts and retaliations, while lacking the obvious combo of Wealthy Patron, Bounty and Synod common in -based decks. Still, expect being swarmed with infantry almost instantly, due to his abundance of (both from his ability and from Vicar Doubloons). Maintaining board dominance is imperative, as is finishing the fight ASAP. The only instant damage Ashkar can deal is Lead the Charge, because he doesn't produce any needed for feeding here; that also means that he won't heal his units. The most dangerous unit here is arguably the Marshal, doubling the amounts of his infantry attacks as well as his ability production. Player Deck Suggestions Since all soldier-line units have both intercept, retaliation and relatively high health, and the enemy is using Ramparts, buying Malediction is not recommended here. Catapult with Marshal combo (note that Catapult now ignores the intercept from Ramparts) with counter-intercept (two heavy or three medium infantry should be enough) to prevent retaliation damaging the attacker is the easiest way to deal with the enemy here. Attack as soon as the enemy Marshal(-s) appears; using Supplicant (2 health, free healing with at least 1 or ) or a Bishop (3 health, can be healed "for free" for 2 health since he produces 1 and 1 ) to tank damage is also a good idea. Using Inquisitor, possibly with Spice Route and Trade Company, is also an option here, since feeding him attacks, gives you and heal him from possible retaliation, making it void in this case. End Battle Text They taught me their language, their numbers, and the wisdom of the ancients. And above all, I was trained in the arts of war. But without my parents, I felt adrift. Why was I here? Did my father intend for me to become a warlord? Fight 2 Opponent Regent Ashkar: Each turn: +1 Dialogues S''tart:'' Ashkar: No army goes to war without a city behind it. Game: A''': No ruler, however great, can accomplish anything alone. A: Even Carthis who talked directly to God had a wazir. '''A: If a depraved man rises in rank he shuns his relatives, and denies his connections. A: He underestimates nobles and becomes proud over people of credit. Defeat: A: You must focus! Victory: A: You've excelled at your studies. Grandmaster Notes This deck is heavily based on - not only due to the presence of the obvious combo of +1 ability, Obol Cornucopia, Vintner, Spice Route, Trade Company and Merchant Guild, but also due to the fact it can instantly convert to with Wealthy Patron to use it for buying out the bank quickly and to use Bounty. Also, Bureaucrat will be used instantly, cleaning your resources with no way to prevent it. Still, it's the easiest-to-defeat deck in Chapter 1 GM; the most obvious weakness is the fact that the only real attack card here is the Bounty, which basically can't punch through solid defense at all without at least 30-40 . Also, AI spends its very quickly and carelessly, breaking the possibly dangerous Merchant Guild / Bounty combo. Killing Vintner and Wealthy Patron is very easy too, since the only defense here are the weakling Serf and Militia. Player Deck Suggestions The obvious strategy is to use cheap (<= 4 ) attack cards (Militia, Ballista, Courtesan, Supplicant), leaving your resources at 0 so that enemy Bureaucrat can't destroy them (or have resource generators to replenish them), killing Vintners and Wealthy Patrons ASAP. Catapult is also nice, since it ignores Serfs/Militias intercept at all. Having a single Knight (preferably) or Soldier counters enemy using his Militia to convert to attacks because of retaliation and Militias 1 health. In practice, since the enemy deck is so weak here, almost any deck can work here, for better or worse. End Battle Text In the coming years, the regents and the other students became a family. And then there was me, the strange foreigner. I was respected for my talents, but i was not one of them. They called me Bahr'abal, after the rose carried out to sea by the wind. Fight 3 Opponent Regent Ashkar: Each turn: +1 Dialogues S''tart:'' Ashkar: The modern war is not won on the field, but in the drawing room. Game: A''': After one strikes with deliberate intent, expect no code to be followed in response. '''A: The desert mouse keeps two doors to it's lair, so that it always cheats the hunter who digs for it. A': A king must rule over himself, that his rule over others is righteous. ''Defeat: A: You must focus! Victory: L: I win again! A: I... I'm sorry we've just received word from Corma. L: From Corma? A: Your parents have been put to the sword. Grandmaster Notes This deck is heavily based on - it has +1 ability, Courtesan, Courtly Intrigue, Masquerade Ball, Spy Network and Corruption. Also, while it produces from coins, Courtesan will be used by the AI to convert them to as needed, instantly. It's arguably the most difficult deck in Chapter 1 GM; while lacking Bounty to combo it with Corruption, the production is very high and production from coins makes it hard to kill at all. The most obvious weakness is the fact that the only defense here is the Serf, coupled with for healing; apart from that, he's defenseless. Since the only real creature used by AI here is the Courtesan, keeping the table clean is quite easy; defending from the constant flood of flying at your hero and units is another thing. Since the speed of generation increases with additional cards bought by AI, time is of the essence here. Player Deck Suggestions Since healing of AI player is quite low here, the easiest way to win is to make Inquisitor/ combo; alternatively, you could use (preferably upgraded, due to short warmup time here) Soldier and Knight to make him burn his while suffering retaliation damage at the same time. End Chapter Text My parents were dead, our lands stolen by our old rivals, the Siani. The only way back home would be at the head of an army. I wast a a crossroads; I could live a simple life, perhaps as a merchant or teacher, or walk the long road of revenge. But I am a Vespitole. I never really had a choice. Bonus Fight Unlocked by not using any continues on Grandmaster difficulty. Battle Start Text Even a ship adrift has a home which it longs to return. What was I now? A derelict royal, a vagrant, hopeless and lost. Opponent Regent Ashkar: Each turn: +1 Dialogues S''tart:'' Ashkar: Listrata, we don't need to continue. Listrata: No, we must... now more than ever. L: If you would make a warlord of me, do it. Game'':'' '''L: I will burn their cities at both exits, lest my quarry escape. L''': I will not let them feel the blade until it is at their throats. '''L: I shall follow no code in the pursuit of my enemies. L: I will sleep in the meadow of my prey... L: ...seek their weaknesses and shortcomings... L: ...and render them to shreds! Defeat: A: You must rest, please let us not continue. Victory: L: I cast my life to this task, my family will be avenged. Grandmaster Notes Player Deck Suggestions The following deck can handle all 4 fights. * Prosperity: ** Spice Route++ ** Wealthy Patron++ ** Vintner++ ** Trade Company++ ** Loan++ * Faith: ** Inquisitor+ * War: ** Militia++ ** Soldier+ ** Knight+ ** Marshal++ Category:Campaign